STATEN ISLAND, NY – An anonymous post on the Staten Island Museum Facebook page speaks volumes: "It was the best of swarms ... it was the worst of swarms ... but it is always 17 year olds who need to find love ..."

Curious? You're not alone. All over the borough and neighboring territories, naturalists are bugging out over an impending natural phenomenon: The reappearance of the 17-year cicada.

This weekend, the Staten Island Museum is abuzz about the once-in-a-generation happening — and the launch of its aptly named new exhibit: "They're Baaack! Return of the 17-Year Cicada."

Why will millions of Cicadas emerge from their underground hideouts this spring?

Are they poisonous, and can their bite turn us into zombies a la 'The Walking Dead'?

Or just maybe, what can these amazing arthropods teach us?

Get the answer to all these questions when "They're Baaack!" opens with a special fund-raising preview party Friday night in the museum at 75 Stuyvesant Pl., St. George. Admission is $25, general public; $15, museum members.

FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER Organizers promise "a fun-filled evening of fine fare, drinks, and disco dancing with tours and talks of the extensive cicada exhibit." Tickets for the preview party and more information available by contacting Cheryl Adolph at 718-483-7113 or CAdolph@ StatenIsland Museum.org

"We have some wonderful works of art that are part of this great new science-, history- and art-based exhibit," says Diane Matyas, director of exhibitions and programs for the Staten Island Museum. "In addition to new work by syndicated cartoonist Taylor Jones, we have works by Ann Marie McDonnell, Tom Ronse, Chris Spollen, Everette, Gustavo Galvan, Steve Foust, Robert Bunkin and a mystery guest."

Funded in part by Capital One Bank, Deutsche Bank, Time Warner Cable and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, "They're Baaack!" features real cicada specimens from the museum's extensive collection, a timeline of past emergences linked to historic events, a time-lapse video of emerging cicadas, a hands-on video microscope, a Google map showing where cicadas are emerging, big-bug sci-fi fun and unusual Cicada ephemera (chocolates anyone?).

Ballengée's series began in the tropical rainforests of Central America more than a decade ago. Since, the sculptures have appeared on boats in Venice, bogs in Ireland, isolated moors in Scotland, bustling Delhi shopping malls, Mexican deserts, New Haven inner-city bus stops, London roof tops, Korean mountain-sides, Louisiana Bayous and others.

MAGICICADA glows beginning at dusk, attracting numerous nocturnal arthropods. During the day, insects gather around native flowers planted at the sculpture's base. Related signage will educate the public about the installation, the species of native plants and the ecological importance of insects.

"The primary objective is to create opportunities through technology and ecological art for the public to experience a side of their local environment that many have probably never focused on — insect life," Ballengee says. "Varied public programs will celebrate arthropod biodiversity and inspire participants to gain a better overall understanding of their local ecology."